Rain
by Anneka Neko
Summary: ONESHOT Ginji is confused and upset after a fight with Ban. He doesn't understand. Why Ban is so mad? And why does Akabane even care? AkabanexGinji and some BanxGinji both can be interpreted as either romantic or platonic.


Authoress' Notes:

This is a slightly different kind of angst. The idea is based off of a fight I just had with one of my best friends. I'm kind of represented by Ginji, and she by Ban. I've tried to keep it fair. This is Ginji's and my take on it, but I'm trying not to make it seem like I'm condemning Ban and my friend.

Ginji is a little OOC, but I think it's reasonable to assume that this is how he'd react in this situation. Similarly, Akabane is OOC from what's actually _shown_ in most of the canon, but I think I've kept him pretty close to how he _would_ respond.

Oh, and for once, I've kept the AkabanexGinji relationship open-ended. You can interpret this as either a romantic or a platonic relationship that I'm showing here.

----- signifies a time shift. The first two times I use this, they bracket a flashback. Later, it's just a shift forwards.

- signifies a change in POV

DISCLAIMER: I DUN OWN ANYTHING!

**nyanyanyanyanya**

**Rain**

Ginji sat on the sidewalk. Rain dripped down his face, but he didn't care.

He wasn't supposed to care.

Ban-chan was hurting. He kept telling Ginji that he was fine, but of course he wasn't. Why would he keep changing the subject every time Ginji asked what was wrong unless something _was_ wrong?

Ginji sighed. All he'd wanted was to help Ban-chan stop hurting. He was so confused. Why was Ban-chan upset? Weren't they friends? He'd always thought that was what friends were for- to help you out. To cheer you up. To make the pain go away.

But Ban-chan apparently thought different. Ginji thought about their argument an hour earlier.

-----

"What do you mean, 'What's wrong?'?" Ban-chan asked, a puzzled expression on his face. "Nothing's wrong."

"…then why are you acting so weird?" Ginji asked. He didn't get it. Why would Ban-chan be so quiet and keep on spacing out unless something was wrong?

Ban-chan frowned. "I'm not acting weird Ginji. Nothing's wrong."

"That's not true."

"What?" Ban-chan asked, annoyed.

"I said, 'That's not true.' It's not. You're not alright. Stop pretending you are."

Ban-chan stood up. "Look Ginji- I'm FINE. Stop worrying. You're the only one who's not alright, if you're afraid I'm not ok."

Ginji stood up as well. His voice rose a bit, and his cheeks began to flush in anger. "Stop it, Ban-chan. Stop pretending." He was tired of pretending not to notice. Ban-chan was his friend! Why wouldn't he say what was wrong?

Ban-chan was mad now. "I'm not pretending! I'm fine, ok? Just stop talking about this! Even if something _were_ wrong, it's not like it'd be any of _your_ business!"

Ginji was suddenly furious. Lightning began crackling at his fingertips, and his voice shook. "What do you mean? I'm your friend! I'm supposed to care! Something's wrong! Stop pretending you're fine when you're not! Why won't you let me help?"

Ban-chan was silent a moment. Then he went back to his seat at the counter. "Let's just stop talking about this."

Suddenly, lightning struck the counter. Ban-chan leapt back, staring at Ginji. Ginji, for his part, advanced on Ban-chan. "WHY? WHY WON'T YOU LET ME HELP? STOP SAYING YOU'RE OK! I'M YOUR FRIEND! YOU SHOULD LET ME HELP YOU STOP HURTING!"

Ban-chan's fist suddenly lashed out, punching Ginji right as he was about to unleash another bolt of lightning. "Dammit Ginji! Just stop it, ok? I'm fine!"

Ginji had been knocked back into the counter by Ban-chan's punch, but he wasn't badly hurt. Still, he was having trouble standing up again. His legs shook, and he couldn't think. He felt something wet in his eyes, and, realizing what it was, he turned and ran out the door.

He heard Ban-chan call his name behind him, but he didn't stop. He didn't look back. He just wanted to get away. If Ban-chan didn't want him to help, then fine.

-----

Ginji realized he was crying again. Why was Ban-chan like that? Ginji wanted to help. Ban-chan was hurting. Why did he need to cover it up?

He didn't bother to glance up when he heard footsteps. He didn't care enough to see who it was. He just sat there, soaked, letting the rain pound down on him.

"Ginji-kun?"

He knew that voice. Who was it? His mind was in such turmoil, he could barely think, let alone place a voice. He kept on staring straight ahead.

"Ginji-kun?" The voice was louder now. Ginji still stared straight ahead, tears flowing down his cheeks to mix with the rain.

He heard the footsteps coming closer. He didn't really care. He didn't even care enough to be on his guard when Akabane Kurodou sat down on the sidewalk next to him.

Akabane looked at him for a while. "Ginji-kun, what's wrong?"

Ginji just looked over at him. Then he returned to staring dully straight ahead. He felt drained.

Ginji barely even moved when he felt a hand placed on his back. He stiffened very slightly, but other than that, he remained as silent as ever.

"Ginji-kun, what happened?" Akabane's voice actually sounded concerned. Ginji looked over at him again.

"Why do you care?"

Akabane looked at him for a moment. Then he replied simply, "You're hurting."

Ginji felt a slight confusion, deep inside the cold apathy. "I thought you enjoyed others' pain," he said, flatly.

Akabane looked away. "Ginji-kun," he said softly. "Just because I enjoy inflicting pain, that doesn't mean I always enjoy the suffering of others."

Ginji, too, looked away. He didn't want to think. Thinking hurt, because if he thought-

He couldn't help it. Ban-chan's voice was in his head again: _"Even if something_ were_ wrong, it's not like it'd be any of _your_ business!"_

That did it. Ginji's eyes began watering again. His throat hurt. Why? Why was Ban-chan pushing him away?

"Ginji-kun, what's wrong? I'm not here to laugh at your pain. I just want to know what could ever make you stop smiling." When Ginji turned his head, Akabane actually looked sincerely worried. Ginji felt the tears taking over again. He was starting to really cry now, and he couldn't stop. He was almost sobbing. Why? Why was Ban-chan mad? Weren't they friends?

Suddenly, he felt an arm placed over his shoulders. He couldn't help it. He turned and buried his face against Akabane's chest, sobbing now.

-

Akabane was shocked for a moment, but then he put his other arm around Ginji-kun, trying to calm him down. Akabane had been telling the truth- he may have enjoyed fighting Ginji-kun, but seeing the boy cry his heart out was far from his idea of fun.

He waited until Ginji-kun's sobs seemed to be growing less desperate. "Ginji-kun," he said softly. "Please tell me. What's wrong?"

Ginji-kun started to speak, but another sob cut him off. He choked out the words, trying to hold back the tears. "I asked Ban-chan what was-" He took a shuddering gasp. "-what was wrong, 'cause he's hiding what's wrong and then he-" but he couldn't go on.

He started crying again, and Akabane hugged him. He really didn't like this. The only time Akabane truly enjoyed others' pain was in battle, or if the party in question truly deserved pain. In his opinion, Ginji-kun didn't deserve this.

-

Ginji managed to get the words out between sobs. "B-ban-chan said that- th-that even if he duh-does hurt, it's not any of m-my business." And with that, a fresh wave of misery swept over him, accompanied by a new wave of sobs.

He felt Akabane's arms tighten around him, and heard his voice murmuring softly, "Ginji-kun, he didn't mean to hurt you. He would never mean to hurt you."

Ginji sniffled. The aching in his throat was starting to ease slightly, so he was able to get the next words out without being interrupted by his own sobs. "But why would he say that?"

When there was no reply, he looked up. Akabane avoided his gaze, looking almost sad. "Ginji-kun," he said. "People don't always think through what they say. He was probably just angry that he'd made you worry." He slowly took his arms away from Ginji.

Ginji sat up straight again. Both men were silent for a few minutes, each lost in his own thoughts.

-

"Ne… Akabane-sama?"

Akabane looked back at Ginji-kun. The boy sat looking down at the pavement, his expression sad. "Hm?" Akabane replied.

"What do you think friends are for?"

Akabane hesitated. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Ginji-kun said, "I think friends are there to help you enjoy your happiness and to make your pain go away. But Ban-chan doesn't seem to think so. So I was wondering… what do you think friends are there for?"

Akabane couldn't think of what to say. He didn't really have any friends. Partners, yes. Friends?

He took a deep breath, struggling to find an answer. "I think a friend is someone you spend time with even if you don't get anything out of it, I suppose. I suppose I'd agree with your ideas, as well."

Ginji-kun sighed. "Do you think Ban-chan is still mad?"

Akabane smiled slightly. "I doubt it. He was probably never mad at you, Ginji-kun. I think he didn't want you to hurt on his account. Worrying can hurt, so I think he just wanted to keep you from worrying."

Ginji-kun looked up at him. "I guess so… yeah, that sorta makes sense. I guess he's probably not upset any more."

Akabane stood up. The rain had lightened to a light, cold drizzle now. "Well, let's get you back to the Honky Tonk and you can find out, hm?"

Ginji-kun smiled and stood up. "Ok!"

As the sun began to disappear over the horizon, the two began walking together down the sidewalk.

-----

Akabane stood across the street. The drizzle had continued into the night, but his attention was focused at the Honky Tonk. Through the lighted windows, he could see what happened when Ginji-kun entered the store.

He watched as Midou-kun leapt out of his seat, rushing over towards Ginji-kun. It looked as if each was apologizing to the other.

Akabane smiled when the two GetBackers embraced each other. He turned, vanishing into the night.

**nyanyanyanyanya**

Please let me know what you think!


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